Modesto Personal Injury Lawyer

As a Modesto personal injury lawyer, I know the city is a great place to live with a rich agricultural history that is evident in its tree-lined residential streets and in the peaceful farmland that surrounds it. Downtown, it’s a different story with a lively urban center complete with multiple entertainment venues. In short, the city of roughly 212,175 has something for everyone. That is why more people are deciding to call Modesto home. However, with all that Modesto has going for it, there are still times when residents face what seem to be insurmountable financial odds after a serious injury. During this period, it is essential that you consult with an experienced Modesto personal injury attorney who will fight for your rights.

When an accident happens, many people are thrown into a physical and financial nightmare. Pummeled by rising medical costs and being unable to work, their life seems upside down. Having experienced this sort of devastation myself, I understand the fear and worry this brings. I also know that when you’re hurt, some people take advantage of your emotional situation to avoid paying what they owe you for your injuries. This happens when you file a claim, ask a drunk driver to pay for the damages you suffered or move forward with a wrongful death lawsuit. Sometimes it seems no one wants to admit their guilt and make it right again. That is where an experienced Modesto injury lawyer can help. From the start, while investigating your accident to negotiating with insurers or preparing the case for trial, I focus on your needs and on the compensation you deserve. Knowing that at the end of the day someone has your back makes it possible to focus on recovering from your traumatic injuries.

Some attorneys are considered general in their practice. This means that just as general physicians or GPs approach the practice of medicine, a Modesto personal injury lawyer handles a wide variety of cases. While general lawyers are needed when you’ve been injured, finding an attorney who only practices personal injury law might be a better choice. Legal issues, just like medical knowledge, have become more specialized, and personal injury lawyers focus on this aspect of the law with all its changes. I specialize only in personal injury law, keep up-to-date in changes in legal issues and use this information to better serve my clients. When looking for a legal presence after an accident, look for an attorney who exclusively deals with personal injury law.

Personal injuries are those where harm is inflicted on a person as opposed to property. The injury is due to another person or entity’s negligence, and the individual who was harmed or the plaintiff has the right to file a lawsuit in civil court to recover damages. Some common types of injuries handled by a Modesto personal injury lawyers are :

• Car accidents: These make up the most common reason a personal injury lawsuit is filed. Such accidents are usually caused when a driver is negligent or reckless. However, some are due to automobile defects or failure of government agencies to keep the roads safe. A civil lawsuit handled by a personal injury attorney generally involves investigation into the reasons the crash happened and gathering information from witnesses and police. An expert in accident reconstruction may be used in complex cases.
• Truck accidents: While truck accidents do not happen as often as car collisions, when they do, it often results in catastrophic injuries to occupants of smaller vehicles. Accidents are often caused by unrealistic schedules truckers are expected to keep, leading to aggressive or reckless driving or driver error. Inadequate trucker training is another culprit. Poor truck maintenance or failure to follow federal rules also leads to accidents.
• Motorcycle accidents: Despite motorcycle safety efforts, accidents involving a motorcyclist can be devastating for the biker. Without the insulation an automobile provides, motorcycle accidents often cause significant injury and death. Since lengthy treatment and rehabilitation are frequently involved in a motorcycle accident, it is important to obtain adequate compensation with the help of a Modesto personal injury lawyer.
• Premises liability: Property owners are required to ensure that the premises are safe for others. This is true of store owners as well as homeowners. If precautions are not taken and someone is injured due to that negligence, the owner can be held liable for the financial damages associated with the accident. Most premises liability cases involve slip and fall accidents.
• Dog bites: Another common and sometimes deadly injury in California involves dog bites. Dog owners are required to restrain their pet, either on a leash or by using a fenced in area on their property. Failure to do this can result in hefty damages to another person. The dog owner is liable for such damages.
• Farm accidents: Ranked as being a hazardous occupation, farm workers are often injured on the job. There are many reasons such farm accidents happen. Some common ones involve use of heavy equipment, pesticide and toxic chemical exposure and falls. Grain silos can be dangerous for farmers or, if access is not restricted, to neighborhood children. Farm tourism is another situation where non-farm workers visit a working farm, complete with slippery floors and large equipment. Determining liability in such cases may be complex since the responsibility to maintain safe conditions occurs on many levels. Choosing the best personal injury attorney in Modesto will prove invaluable to your case.
• Pedestrian accidents: Such accidents are common, and the numbers have skyrocketed in recent years. Since the pedestrian has no protection against a motor vehicle, the nature of the injuries is often serious. Deaths are common, particularly when the motor vehicle is traveling at or over 40 mph.
• Wrongful death claims: When someone dies due to the negligence of another person or entity, their family faces not only emotional injury but must deal with the financial repercussions of the person’s death. To reduce financial loss, a wrongful death lawsuit can be filed by a Modesto personal injury attorney. This helps the family with funeral and burial costs, medical care prior to death and the financial help the person provided.
• Bicycle accidents: Similar to motorcycle and pedestrian accidents, a cyclist has little protection from a motor vehicle weighing several thousand pounds more. Despite bike lanes and safety precautions, many bicyclists are injured and killed each year. A personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit can help by taking the burden of financial responsibility from the cyclist or their family.
• Brain injuries: Brain injuries occur in many types of accidents and are some of the most life-threatening. From concussion to hemorrhage, brain injuries can kill or disable the recipient. Due to the need for long-term care in many traumatic brain injuries as well as the inability to work, the financial cost can be overwhelming. It is essential for a Modesto injury lawyer to be involved in such cases.

Two of the biggest losses a person faces after a personal injury are those spent on medical care and lost time at work. In a matter of moments, a person may be unable to work, either temporarily or permanently, while facing escalating medical bills. Other losses involve the emotional and psychological trauma an accident causes. In some cases, the accident is caused by an action that is so egregious that punitive damages can be levied against the negligent party. That is where a Modesto personal injury lawyer who focuses on the needs of their client is essential.

In choosing a personal injury attorney, there are things you need to be aware of such as:

• Choose someone who practices only personal injury law.
• Look into the lawyer’s ability to obtain fair verdicts and settlements for his or her clients.
• Make sure the attorney has the ability to take the case to trial, including handling the cost of the case as it goes to court. A personal injury lawyer works on a contingency basis. This means that he or she does not get paid until the client wins in court or the case is settled. Without the necessary resources, it would not be possible for a law firm to do this.
• Find an attorney who shows compassion for their clients. A client is more than his or her case. They are people who have been hurt and have had their lives turned upside down. They often have families who depend on them. Choose an injury lawyer who focuses on the whole person rather than a set of circumstances.

Watch the following YouTube video to learn how to choose the right personal injury lawyer.

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I’m Ed Smith, a Modesto personal injury lawyer. When you suffer a serious personal injury, you need the insight only a seasoned personal injury lawyer can provide. You can reach me at (209) 227-1931 locally for my free and friendly advice. If you are outside the area, just call our toll-free line at (800) 404-5400 or you can reach us online using our convenient contact us page. 

I’ve been helping residents of Modesto and the wider Northern California area with only personal injury cases since 1982.

I have a proud history of high case verdicts and settlements.

I have numerous reviews from my peers and former clients available on Yelp, Avvo and Google Plus.

My staff and I are like members of a family. Learn more about each one of us here.

I am a California member of the Million Dollar Advocates. This a nationwide forum of lawyers who obtain in excess of $1 million for a client. Other groups I belong to include the Consumer Attorneys of California, Capital City Trial Lawyers Association and the Brain Injury Association of California.

I've written many comprehensive articles on personal injuries that can be viewed on my AutoAccidents.com blog.

I’ve written several books about personal injury law. You can find the following on Amazon.com and they are available as a free download:

• The Ultimate California Auto Injury Handbook
• The California Motorcycle Accident Handbook.

Photo Attribution: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/01/Modesto_Arch.JPG/640px-Modesto_Arch.JPG

Editor's Note: This page has been updated for accuracy and relevancy.

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